Ultra-cold storage to store COVID-19 vaccine. (Image via Science News)

Japan produces more ultra-cold freezer for the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out

As Japan wants to distribute its vaccines as soon as February, the country is increasing its ultra-cold freezer production. Ultra-cold storage is essential in storing and delivering vaccines for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines. The plan came as Japan is trying to balance the need for mass inoculations by the time of the postponed Summer Olympics in July 2021.

In the upcoming late February, the world's third-largest economy will distribute Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines for the medical workers, being the front-line against the COVID-19 pandemic. As the major economies have already started their inoculations, the Japanese are still trailing behind. It was due to its dependence on overseas producers while they are also required to run domestic clinical trials before being approved.

The Japan-based medical equipment manufacturer, PHC Holdings Corp, revealed that the Japanese Government has asked them to make the ultra-cold freezer. Therefore, the company has doubled its output since January 2021. PHC claimed that its ultra-cold storage is perfect for Pfizer's vaccine which requires minus 75 degrees Celsius storage.

Not only PHC but also the home electronics manufacturer, Twinbird Corp, stated that it doubled the number of its employees and increased its monthly production by ten-fold compared with last year. In January, Twinbird had received 5,000 freezers order from Takeda Pharmaceutical, the top drugmaker in charge to approve and import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines.

Source: https://bit.ly/3oGn0mU